Dien Bien Phu

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The route to Dien Bien Phu is as expected beautiful with high flanks on the north side Hoang Lien which the French called the Tonkin Alps. This area was long a "criminal" zone between Vietnam and China; it was unsuitable for the construction of rice fields and till far in the 19th century you had to watch out here for raids from robber gangs.

Until recently, opium here was the crop that yielded the most. Now I see mountain peoples walking along the road and tearing scooters with wicker baskets full of chickens, ducks, piglets and even dogs inside. Along the way I see also numerous members of mountain tribes walking along the road - black tight skirts, purple tight tricots in different colors, a sash around the hip and a black dress with stitching or a colored scarf around their heads.

Beautiful! It is only eleven o'clock when I arrive at the almost empty bus station of Dien Bien Phu (DBP), the name of the city that makes me shiver.

The 1st IndoChina war:

After WWII, France wanted to take control again in their "old" colony IndoChina of which Vietnam was a part. The communist Ho Chi Minh had fought in the war with his Vietminh against both the Colonizing French and the Japanese occupiers and was partly supplied by the Americans.

In 1945 during the chaos after the war Ho proclaimed the independence of Vietnam, but this was slightly different. There was complete chaos in the country and even Ho thought it would be better to restore the French order first.

After the peace would return he would take over – well that was the idea. But the relationship between the Vietminh and the French soon faded and already in 1946 Ho fled into the mountains with his warriors and started a guerrilla war against the French - the so-called Viet-Franco war.

eliane or a1-hill

I walk through the large green iron gate and pay the female in the small ticket box that points to a building whose doors are wide open. Here is a large scale model of the hill that was a French fortress during the battle of the city of Dien Bien Phu in 1954. In the glass-boxes are weapons, clothing and pictures of the fight on the wall.

There are also photos of old Veterans who are posted for the monument which should probably be at the top I’m going to see later. I see, between the trees next to the zigzag asphalt path that leads upwards, two large rows of barbed wire that I have just seen on the scale model. It seemed that there were three double-decked rows of barbed wire around the whole fence of the hill. There too, the first deep trenches and bunkers. It is still a bit of a hike to walk up the hill with this heat and up there is a course of a tank aimed at you under an ugly canopy (unfortunately). There are also some monuments in memory of the Vietminh cases.

On the hill itself is a smaller hill (made hand-made) that really is the highest point. From here you have a beautiful view of the "bowl" in which the city lies. You can now see the replica trenches, the pieces of wood that act as a bridge, the stone paths, the gigantic crater and the surrounding mountains with the valley. You can see the growing city that’s already lying on the next hills and mountains as well - I think there was no house or road yet when the war raged here though. I walk past the many reconstructed trenches, even walk a bit where paths go semi-underground. I think of the craters that I saw in Verdun and other parts of northern France on the German positions – it’s got similarities.

The hill continues and I walk around the whole piece, to see everything well. This seems to have been one of the last French strongholds during the bitterly battle for the town. Back at the entrance-building I walk along the fence to the place where a number of tanks, old iron from other war materials, mortars, howitzers and field guns stand. Unfortunately, it is behind a fence and haphazardly set up next to each other without any imagination. What would I like to see a piece of artillery on the hillside with a view of the valley and the city. After this site I visit the war-cemetery where hundreds of communists are located and then the (war) museum. On a small terrace with a sail as a canopy I order a fresh glass of pressed sugar cane so that I can go to my next site.

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Battle of Dien Bien Phu (1954)

In October 1953, the Chinese intelligence service in France received a copy of the French strategic plan for Indochina, the Plan-Navarre. The most important Chinese military advisor in Vietnam then handed it to Hồ Chí Minh personally. On the basis of this important source of information, the communists could make the decision to battle the French at Dien Biên Phủ.

The French sent no less than 12 battalion soldiers to DBP for reinforcement at the beginning of 1954. Supreme Commander of IndoChina General Henri Navarre was afraid that the Vietminh would cross the border with Laos and attack Luang Prabang and wanted to guard the Muong Thanh valley top revend this. A perfect opportunity for the Vietminh to give the French a destructive defeat where they did not expect it.

Muong Than bridge

It is a day later when I go to the Muong Thanh bridge where there is a memorial and a piece of old French artillery. As you can see, the iron walkway has not changed much since here the (Colonial) French were in service. The center of the bridge, which is about 2 meters wide, is used by cyclists and scooters, while the two outer-sides (half a meter wide each) can be used by pedestrians.

To my knowledge, this was the only bridge over the Ron river and was therefore strategically very important for the Vietminh but alsof or the defending French. This must also be the bridge that is illuminated at night in all colors of the rainbow.

I read the plaquette and see how life just goes on – also in Vietnam. I walk over the bridge and come to a chaotic junction where some women sell fruit and vegetables under sails and where large outdoor plants and shrubs are sold. I find a narrow path that takes me to the French monument, some old artillery pieces and even the remains of a propeller plane.

Castries headquarters

I walk from the bridge and walk about 100 metres to a place that’s blocked with chicken wire. In the few square meter should was once the bunker which holded the Headquarters of “Dien Bien Phu” from the French. The replica bunker that we now see should be the place where French commander Castries was when the fight broke out around the city.

There are some deep trenches around the bunker and I walk down the stone steep stairs into the bunker itself. Now I only see how big it is down here. It looks like a small bunker from above, but it’s got four rooms with a corridor. There are now some chairs and tables and there is a poster hanging on the wall.

Of course it is a shame that Castries stuff is here but in the museum further up the road. It is empty and there is nothing to find in terms of information. They could indeed have made it a lot more fun and interesting, but this is Vietnam and I should be already happy that this is here so you’ve get an idea how it looked like. I walk around the bunker a few more times and try to get the picture in my mind where a "Vietminh" soldier was waving the communist flag on the roof of this bunker to celebrate the victory. The background is a large plain where the battle has raged. Now trees grow, there are houses and everything is full.

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Pirot's sacrifice

I walk over the Muong Thanh bridge and take a look at the market which is build just on the other side. At some stalls they sell meat and the women here are very busy with chasing away mosquito’s (and dogs); they use a stick with a plastic bag on top and wave it around.

I see fish on the grill with pieces of bamboo and women probably have their last gossip while they are sitting in front of a sail with fruit and vegetables. A woman is shaving big bamboo poles and another is walking with a basket full of geese to sell them probably. Behind the market stalls on a corner there is a part of a building missing so it seems. The “block” is surrounded by barbed wire and I just see a small monument standing in the middle. This must have been the bunker of the French artillery commander Pirot who committed suicide when the first Vietminh bombs fell.

He had claimed that the Vietnamese could never put heavy artillery in the mountains around the city because he was convinced that was too heavy – impossible. When the bombs fell he didn’t want to live anymore. I look through the chicken wire and there’s not much to see. A grassy pitch with some garbage. I walk further into the narrow street looking for a place where I can have a cup of coffee or whatever. At ease I let my thoughts go over what has happened here and take another sip.

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tips & advice (2014)

The bus station is in the northern tip of the center and requires no further explanation. Sufficient (mini) buses run to the capital Hanoi and do Son La, Mau Chau (Tong Dau) and Na Nham (in front of the bunker of Giap). From here you can also head north towards Muong Lay (Lai Chau) towards Sapa. Finally, the border with LAOS is open to tourists here. A train station is not present here.

DBP - Muang Khua (LAOS): at half past six a bus (every day nowadays) departs via the border Tay Trang (V) - Sop Hun (L) to "Muong Khoa". Price is 115.000 VND and the ride takes about 4 -6 hours including time at customs. Make sure you arrive in MK around 11:00.

There seems to be a bus at 12:00 but certainly at 15:00 direction Muong Xay to leave (35,000 KIP) from the busstaition about 2 km from the center where you will be dropped. Tuk tuk (songthiaw) will drive you there for 5,000 KIP. Buses also go directly to Luang Prabang.

TIPS:

Do not take the bus to LP (I have heard a scam story that they do arrange a ticket for no less than 500,000 VND.
Make a reservation because it would be a shame to stay an extra day in DBP and get up early and have no place. You can go to the ticket box the day before - the ladies speak reasonably good English. In our case there was enough space and you did not have to reserve.
You can pay your visas for LAOS (no transit visa possible) in Dong or dollars (perhaps also in euros). You pay 35 USD and 23,000 KIP (almost $ 40 in total).

Name: Tham Quan Di Tich Doi A1 (hill A1 or Eliane)

Address: D 7-5 and D. Huang of Thai

Price: 15,000 VND

Time: 07:00 - 11:00 and 13:30 and 17:00

Content:

The very important and strategic, in the Vietmin-Franco-war, Hill A1 or Eliane hill is situated about 1.5 to 2 km from the large roundabout and the bus station. In that time heavily fortified and surrounded with barbed wire and littered with bunkers and trenches, often (semi) underground.

Now there is a tiny museum, some tanks and other large (French) material and large parts of the fortifications are being built next to a fence. On top of the hill are monuments, next to a tank and the many trenches, barbed wire and bunkers. You can see the big crater and you have a beautiful view of Dien Bien Phu and its surrounding mountains.

Name: Tham Quan Bad Tang Chien Thang Lich Su DBP (museum DBP)

Address: D 7-5

Price: 15,000 VND

Time: 07:00 - 11:00 and from 13:30 - 17:00

Content:

A pretty professional museum located in a very modern building complex. Many “washing dolls” with scale models, dioramas and equipment. The lion's share of the museum is filled with very interesting photos of the battle in and around Dien Bien Phu. U

nder the photos often also English text. Also many showcases with weapons, documents, personal photographs and other attributes that were left behind after the battle. Noteworthy objects are the bathtub, table and typewriter of the French commander Castries in the city. The only thing missing is the large (in English) information panels that explain the general history and the battle.

Name: Tham Quan Di Tich Ham de Castries (bunker of Castries)

Address: the western side of the Muong Thanh bridge

Price: 15,000 VND

Time: 07:00 - 11:00 and from 13:30 - 17:00

Content:

If you come across the bridge from the east side (the market side where the bunker was from Pirot) turn left and watch the blue sign. Follow a narrow asphalt path for 100 meters and then you will be at the intersection at the bunker of the chief commander of the French armed forces in DBP Castrie".

You have to be a bit of a war-buff to see immediately in you’re mind the picture taken immediately after the takeover of the bunker by the Vietminh forces and the Communist flag. Behind chicken wire is a post-constructed bunker with a semi-circular metal roof and some deep trenches around it. The ugly and far too low (metal) roof makes taking nice photos almost impossible.

Inside it is much larger than you expect with four rooms with some sofas and chairs. Information panels and Original furniture are missing in the whole, there is only a card on the wall.

There are a few "nice" local eateries diagonally opposite the bus station just before the big bridge. Most have an English menu with prices. A woman there even speaks a little bit of German. If you are looking for a nice terrace you can try the first street on the right just over the same bridge.

There are a number of hostels here and on the corners I have certainly seen some a nice terraces. Costs for a cup of iced coffee are 20,000 VND.

There are sufficient possibilities in DBP to sleep; I have seen at least 10 to 15 hostels (Nha Nghi) and hotels. Not surprising because it is the last big city before the border with Laos.

Name: Nha Nghi Khanh Giang

Address: So nah 2 Duong Lo from Hac - To 4 - P. Thanh Binh

Price: 500,000 VND for 3 nights (single)

Phone nr. : 0230 3 833 899/0915 067 648

Content:

This hostel is just behind the bus station but just far enough to have no "trouble". It is also close to the main road but in

a side street so you do not hear the "heavy" traffic passing by. It is clean and the lady of the house looks very smart. She has several rooms in her 3 high counting hostel; a single room and double where you can enjoy a 1.5 person bed each.

In my very large room, with balcony and overlooking the street (large windows) was a large wardrobe, table, chairs, a refrigerator, large toilet shower, AC, kettle, drinking water (with tap), TV and there was WiFi available. As always clean towels, toilet roll, soap and shampoo. It was slightly more expensive than what I normally paid in Vietnam but then I also had a great room.

What you have to pay attention to is changing money. The banks in DBP only exchange dollars and euros in Dong (VND) and not vice versa. Then you will have to go to a gold and silver shop. There is one just around the corner at the big roundabout in the center of the city (at the stairs) that Dong exchanges for dollars. Laotian Chicken is nowhere to change.

Something else is having dollars ready for your visa for Laos. Costs in 2014 were $ 30 for a visa. It is wise to have this money ready (cash), besides your passport and passport photos before you take the bus to Laos. So ask if you are going to exchange money (see above) for small denominations in dollars.

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Dien Bien Phu

Travel Stories - Vietnam

Robber gangs

eliane or a1-hill

Muong Than bridge

Castries headquarters

Pirot's sacrifice

tips & advice (2014)

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